The history of Yamaha acoustic guitars: “LEGEND HISTORY”

First, let me introduce you to the very first bottle that started the legend.
The FG-180 was produced between 1966 and 1972, and among people of the folk music generation, the FG-180 is often known for its "red label."
This particular specimen was only in use for a little over a year, from 1966 to 1967.RecruitOne bottle with a "light green label" that hasn't been released yet.
This particular guitar was manufactured in 1967, so the top and back woods have been slightly modified to plywood.

As someone relatively young, I can say that the use of the word by Koji Iwasawa of "Yuzu" is the most memorable.
Unfortunately, I couldn't confirm its use in the video, but the "incredibly resonant" sound that he himself described is something that many people feel about the FG-180.

So, how does this particular unit sound?
I was the one in charge of the purchase, and I heard the first sound with the settings the previous owner had used.

A single Em chord, including open strings, produces an "incredibly loud" sound.

It lacks refinement, but it possesses a sound pressure and openness that you can't find even in modern solid-wood models.
Even when trying to add dynamics, techniques that worked well with other guitars don't seem to work with this one, so expressing dynamics is going to be quite a challenge.
However, the body resonance and the satisfying feeling you get when you strum chords strongly are irreplaceable.
You can experience both the joy of controlling a wild child and the joy of letting the guitar take over and adapting yourself to it.
It's the kind of music that makes you smile while you're playing, and before you know it, more than an hour has passed since you started playing.

The development of Japan's acoustic guitar culture is undoubtedly thanks to the existence of this one person.
During his time at Yamaha, he designed and developed models such as the APX, CWE, and L series.
His guitar creations, regardless of the era, are always composed of three elements: the excitement of something "new," outstanding "artistic merit," and "perfection" as a tool.
The "works" he was involved with during his time at Yamaha all have his handwritten signature on the label, and the mere presence of that signature gives the guitars a certain persuasive power.

After leaving Yamaha, he launched his own brand, "Terry's Terry."
(Titles omitted) Many prominent figures have used his guitar to add color to Japanese music, including Takahiko Ishikawa, Yosui Inoue, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Kazuyoshi Saito, Kounosuke Sakazaki, Ken Sakurai, Masashi Sada, Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, Chiharu Matsuyama, Kosetsu Minami, Shozo Ise, and Takuro Yoshida.
Terry Nakamoto's guitars don't have an endorsement system, and he rarely appears in the media. Yet, many musicians are drawn to the quality and appeal of his guitars and end up playing them.

I, too, was so captivated and enthralled by Terry Nakamoto's world that I ordered a TJ-100.
In the next chapter, I hope you'll take a look at the world of "Terry Nakamoto."

As mentioned earlier, in 1971, Yamaha entered a new era.
In the year that FG's popularity became firmly established, they announced their "high-end handmade FG" lineup.
The release of the FG-1500, FG-2000, and FG-2500 (12-string) models ultimately made Yamaha Acoustics known worldwide.
In particular, the FG-1500 holds special significance due to an episode that will be discussed later.

The FG-1500 is a Yamaha original, small-sized fork-sized guitar with a slightly thinner body.The body width is approximately 380mm and the body thickness is about 105mm, giving it an impression similar to the Martin 000 size.
The three models share common specifications, including a top made of high-grade Ezo spruce, sides made of Brazilian rosewood, and a back made of Brazilian rosewood and flame maple, all of which are solid wood. Furthermore, the rosette and trim incorporate "inlay," a highly advanced technique that combines different types of wood to form intricate patterns.And inside the soundhole is the handwritten signature of "Terry Nakamoto," as described in the previous chapter.

So, why does the FG-1500 hold special significance?Firstly, during its short production period from 1971 to 1975, the high-end handmade FG series was listed in the catalog, but in actual stores...NewIt was almost impossible to see it, or so I hear.

It's like saying, "Yamaha has made an amazing guitar! But I don't know what it sounds like..."This series, which was once such an elusive entity, became known to the world, both in terms of its sound and the existence of the actual hardware, thanks to its use by a certain artist.

In the 1980s, when information about overseas artists became easily accessible in Japan, news spread worldwide that Bob Dylan, a name etched in American music history, used a Yamaha guitar in his live performances.
Footage from a 1986 Australian concert shows Bob Dylan playing the FG-1500 with his backing musician, Tom Petty.
This incident led to Yamaha Acoustic gaining renewed recognition both domestically and internationally as a brand with originality second only to Martin and Gibson.
Yamaha itself seemed to recognize the "special significance" of the model, and in 1996, they reissued the "FG-1500" in a limited edition of 30 units, which generated considerable buzz.

So, how does this particular 1974 model sound?
Just like with the FG-180, let's start with an Em chord, which includes many open strings.To be honest, I feel it's not quite satisfying.
One reason for this is that the FG-180 was overwhelmingly superior in terms of openness and sound pressure.After continuing to play for 5...10 minutes, I began to understand some things about this particular model and this specific instrument.
This is pure speculation and conjecture, but could this model be one that is both FG and not FG, implying something along those lines?
In terms of range, while other FG models have explosive lows and highs, the "1500" has a relatively large amount of mid-range component.
What makes this so great is that it's well-suited for solo guitar and for playing the melody role.It has a solid core, and the alluring quality of the Brazilian rosewood is reflected in the sound, making it quite difficult to replace with anything else.This is a specimen that makes me very curious about the characteristics of other individuals in the collection.

Now, next up is another one manufactured in 1974.
In fact, even the high-end handmade FG models underwent slight specification changes between the very first 1971 models and later ones.The 1971 model had the same flared headstock shape as the red-label FG, and the bridge was also the same shape as the red-label model.
This particular instrument in our stock is a later model, featuring a slimmer headstock and a contoured bridge.The body width is approximately 416mm and the body thickness is 127mm, making it an original jumbo body.

The main artist who uses it is probably James Taylor.You can hear that sound on the album "Walking Man," released in 1974.

So, how does this particular unit sound?The body size, which is slightly larger than the FG-180, gives a sense of anticipation and historical weight when you hold it.

First, we'll start with a single Em.
"Ah, it's FG."

My initial impression is as described above.However, he doesn't give the impression of being a troublemaker.It offers a sense of openness and sound pressure, while also providing rich bass and a cohesive sound.
Similarly, after playing it for about 5 to 10 minutes, you'll notice a completely different character compared to the FG-1500.Of course, this is to be expected given the different body shapes, but it's also remarkable that despite its large body size, there's no sense of congestion due to sound amplification within the soundhole.
It might be thanks to the relatively hard Brazilian rosewood, but the way it suppresses the unwanted parts and brings out only the best parts isn't something that can be achieved by the wood alone; it's likely due to the excellent design of the guitar itself.If you want to sing and play an instrument without using a microphone, you'll need some techniques for vocalization.I got into the mood and tried singing while playing, but no matter how hard I tried, I was always outshone by the guitar.That feeling might be similar to driving a ZEEP.

Introducing the final lineup of our high-end, handmade FG collection.
This one has the same body size as the 2000, but with the original jumbo body.
It was introduced as a 12-string version of the FG-2000.However, the FG-2500 is a unique model even among high-end, handmade FG watches.
When you ask people from the folk music generation of that era, you get responses like, "Was there such a model? Was it even in the catalog?"Of course, 12-string guitars had less demand and fewer units produced compared to 6-string guitars.
Another unique aspect is its specifications; while all of Yamaha's previous 12-string lineup featured solid headstocks, the FG-2500 has a slotted headstock.RecruitThey are doing it.

Let's take a look at the sound of the FG-2500, which has some slightly unique characteristics.
As is true of 12-string guitars in general, tuning is an extremely laborious task.With a 6-string guitar, it usually takes about three turns of tuning pegs to get it from a loosened state to a playable state, but with a 12-string guitar, it takes 5 to 6 turns. Moreover, there are twice as many tuning pegs as with a 6-string guitar, and they are closer together, making them harder to turn and taking longer to complete a full turn.

Finally, after a very difficult tuning process, I played an Em chord.
This assessment is not based on my writing of columns or my intention to sell; it's a sincere opinion.

""""""This is the best 12-string guitar I've ever played""""""

A sense of openness, and within that, the core of each string can be felt.What's most noteworthy is that while 12-string guitars typically have wider necks than 6-string guitars and shouldn't produce the same sound, this particular instrument resonates similarly to a 6-string, with the added benefit of a natural chorus effect.
Any trouble with tuning is insignificant compared to achieving this sound.To be honest, its market value is lower compared to the 6-string model.However, if we're going to evaluate the price based on sound quality, then even 1 million yen wouldn't be considered expensive.This is a film that gives you that kind of euphoric feeling.

From this point on, Terry Nakamoto's unique style becomes even more pronounced.
In 1974, Yamaha announced the "L Series" lineup, which emphasized a higher-end focus.
The first model announced was the "L-31".
This model elevated the FG-2000 to a more luxurious level, and it led to the Custom series, which was released in 1975.
The "L" in the series name stands for "Luxury," and it represents the highest-grade models among the three series (FG/N/L) that were in the lineup at the time.

Now, the four models in the L series that have been in the lineup since 1975 are known by the rather grandiose title of "The Four Heavenly Kings." Each of these four models has a distinctive and eye-catching design.
Similar to high-end, handmade FG guitars, it was almost impossible to see them in person at a physical store, so younger generations probably spent their time looking at catalogs, imagining, "What kind of sound will it have? What kind of customization should I order?"
I was miraculously able to acquire two models from among those four kings, so I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce them to you.

A jumbo body in all black, reminiscent of Gibson's Everly Brothers.
The body width is approximately 435mm and the body thickness is just under 120mm, giving it a wider body width than the FG-2000.
The white pickguard, upon closer inspection, is asymmetrical in size, giving it a unique design.
Paul Simon and John Lennon owned the CJ-52, the successor to the L-52.BassIt was custom-ordered, and it seems both parties fell in love with the sound.
Personally, out of the four, the L-52's looks are exactly to my liking.

This model has been favored by two legends, so let's listen to its sound right away.

Similarly, one Em
Interesting. It has the crisp, tinkling sound characteristic of maple wood, while still retaining the distinct resonance of a Yamaha body.This characteristic is particularly noticeable when strumming the 1st and 2nd strings forcefully with an upstroke, resulting in a louder, more resonant sound.
The most unique aspect I found was that when playing single notes from the 7th fret onwards on the 3rd string, you get a nuance similar to that of an archtop guitar.
Rather than being suited to folk songs, it seems more appropriate for jazz and blues, which tend to have a 4/4 beat.
She's one of my favorite models, including the contrast between her appearance and her personality.

It's incredibly flashy at first glance.
While the abalone inlay on the rosette and trim is certainly striking, your eyes will likely be drawn first to the headstock.The veneer is made up of three pieces of abalone and jacaranda, and I was surprised that they used the easily cracked abalone on both sides where the peg bushings are attached. I'm simply amazed by their ingenuity and skill.
There are differences in the wood specifications between the early and later models of this L-53; the 3-piece back was changed from Brazilian rosewood/ebony in the early models to 3-piece Brazilian rosewood in the later models.The body width is approximately 415mm and the body thickness is approximately 120mm, making it the closest body shape to a dreadnought among the L series.
Among the "Four Heavenly Kings," the L-53 is the most popular model, and many artists own this model.BassIt was ordered.
In 2012, a limited edition of 20 units was reissued, priced at around 2,000,000 yen, but it sold out immediately. This shows that many people have a strong desire to own this model.

Before you actually hear the sound, try to imagine the sound based on its appearance.
It has a substantial weight when held in the hand, and weighs approximately 2.55 kg according to a measuring instrument.The fretboard also features abalone inlays, suggesting it will produce a shimmering, trebly sound with minimal body resonance.

A familiar Em chord

"The sound is so loud!!!"
It's a rather simplistic way of putting it, but that's my initial impression.However, it's not crunchy or ice-cold.
The FG-2000 has a sparkling high-frequency range added to it, while still retaining the pleasant, unobtrusive bass characteristic of Brazilian rosewood.
I wouldn't say it's exactly the same, but I felt it had a similar nuance to the 1968-1969 reissue D-45.
If you pick with maximum force, the high frequencies will sound compressed, but it makes it very easy to add dynamics when playing arpeggios, bringing rich expression to ballads and folk songs.This album, both in terms of sound and overall quality, certainly explains why it's the most popular.

Among the L series, the LS is a slightly smaller model with an original shape similar to the FG-1500.
Compared to other LL/LD/LA models, this one is extremely rare to encounter due to its significantly smaller market availability. From the rosette and purfling to the headstock and fretboard, you can enjoy its incredibly intricate and beautiful craftsmanship. Its shape is closest to Terry's Terry's regular "TJ" lineup, and it's perhaps the model that most strongly reflects Terry Nakamoto's worldview.

This model was mainly in circulation in the 1990s, but this particular unit was manufactured in 1987.
Of course, it bears Terry Nakamoto's autograph.

Rather than trying to explain it in words, you should first experience the sound for yourself.

Regarding the sound, it may surprise you somewhat, as it differs from the image of Yamaha from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The volume is loud, but it is very refined. While it is not lacking in overtones, it is characterized by a tinkling, bell-like sound rather than the sharp impression of the L-53.
In particular, there is almost no muddiness in the sound when playing chords. For example, when playing an open G chord, the third is the B on the 5th and 2nd strings, and even a slight disruption in the harmonic structure can easily cause muddiness.
However, the LS-50 delivers a straightforward sound image, as if completely free of any unnecessary elements.
While the lack of unnecessary elements might feel unsatisfying to some, it achieves an extremely high level of sound quality for a harmonic instrument.